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Reedmace Flour

Reedmace Flour is a traditional American recipe for converting reedmace (cottontail) rhizomes (which have a starchy core) into a dried powder suitable for baking or use as a thickener. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic American recipe for: Reedmace Flour.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

10 minutes

Total Time:

30 minutes

Additional Time:

(+16 hours drying)

Makes:

600g

Rating:

Tags : Wild FoodVegetable RecipesBaking RecipesUSA Recipes

The rhizomes of the reedmace rush used to be converted into a starchy flour by both Native Americans and Europeans. This is an adaptation of their techniques, intended for the modern kitchen. This flour used to be used quite commonly both as a thickener (it can be used to replace cornflour [cornstarch]) or as a wheat flour adulterant. This is a base recipe for a number of other recipes on this site. One note, rhizome quality can vary very significantly and this method of making flour is only usually worthwhile if you know of a good quality stand.

Ingredients:

6kg Reedmace rhizomes (the underwater storage roots of the plant)

Method:

The reedmace rhizome may be found during any time of the year the ground is not frozen but are best collected from Autumn to early Spring (when maximum starch is stored in the rhizome). To find a reedmace rhizome reach down into the muck at the base of a plant and feel around for the sideways root or rhizomes. Follow this rhizome as far as possible and pull it out. Make sure it is alive and white on the inside before you spend a lot of time digging it out. Some rhizomes will be rotten and brown. Collect 4kg of good rhizomes. (Note: If there are white horn-like protuberances coming off of the rhizome, save these, they are cattail shoots and very tender and tasty.)

To make the flour you have two options. You can either was the rhizomes thoroughly and scrape them then tear apart with your fingers and place in an oven pre-heated to 50°C and bake for about 16 hours, or until thoroughly dry. Pound in a pestle and mortar then sift out the flour through a fine-meshed sieve and set aside.

Alternatively, pound the raw rhizomes and set to soak in a bucket of water over night (make certain you wash out your mortar and add the liquid to the bucket). The starch will be washed out and will settle in the base of the bucket. Remove the rhizomes, allow to settle again then pour off the excess water. Spread the starch in the base of the bucket out then set aside to dry either in the sun or in a warm oven.